William c



WILLIAM C.\GOULD."

vImprovement in Railway Raill Splice. v

I//f'i/nfsms': I [12 verita/2 TVILLIAM C. GOULD, OF NEW YORK, N. VY.

IMPROVEMENT iN RAILWAV RAIL-SPLICES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,673, dated April 16, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. GoULD, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Joining the ends of Railway Rails, of which the following is a specilieation.

My invention relates to joining and support ing the ends of railway rails; and my said improvement consists of a joint, having a plate formed on or rigidly attached to one rail, and projecting from beneath the same under the contiguous rail-end, the two rail-ends being spiked to the same tie, and the projecting plate being loosely connected to the said contiguous rail-end, whereby the rail-ends are allowed to yield, the one with the other', in the manner of a hinge or knuckle-joint, and thus increase the durability of the rails, and obtain a more even rail-joint under the action of the train in passing over it.

In the accompanying drawing Figure l representsl a side view of a portion of the contiguous ends of T-rails, showing their-ends joined and supported according to inyimprovement; and Fig. 2 represents a plan or top view ofthe same.'

In carrying out my improvement, I secure a plate, A, to the under side of the end of one rail, B, either by forming it a part thereof, or by rigidly boltin g it thereto by bolts et and nuts b, the heads of the bolts being rabbeted in the under side of the plate; or the plate may be rivetedor welded to the rail, or made in one piece with it. It must, however, be fixed to one rail, and `extend beneath the contiguous rail-end C, to which it has a loose connection, but forms an even, solid support thereto, so that the surface of the two rails, if otherwise properly laid, will be perfectly even and in the same line. The contiguous ends are bolted to the same tie or timber by spikes c, which pa-ss through notches d in the anges of the rails, and at the connected end of the plate also through notches c therein; but the plate A, at its other end, must be free to have a movement independent of the other or contiguous rail-end C, and for this purpose it may stop short of the spikes c, or extend beyond them, Without preventing the independent vertical movement of said plate with respect to one of the rails. The spaces for the rail-bolts are made by exsectin g a semicircular portion ofthe anges of the rails, and corresponding portions from the edges of the supportingplate; and the spikes being firmly driven into the tie, hold the rails firmly thereto, and

help to resist the lateral force of the wheels more effectually than the fish-plate, especially when the latter are xed to the rails between the ties.

My improvement, in effect, gives to the contiguous ends of the rails the capacity to yield, the one with the other, in the manner of a knuckle or hin ge-joint, without the sinking of the one or other, so as to cause the jumping down of the wheels of the train, which is so destructi\ e to cars and their running-gear.` The rails are therefore made continuous as regards their action under the train, but separate and independent of any fixed connection with their supporting-plate, by which the great advantage of the yielding movement ot each is obtained. As my fixture is laid on the broadest ties, and allows no end concussion, there is nothing to sink them; but should the ties do so on soft ground, my fixture will yield to the bending down of the rail-ends inthe manner of a free joint Without straining the fixture. Should a bolt or plate break or get loose in my lixtures, the spikes, being secured in the tie, will still hold the rail-ends as firmly in their place as before, and a new plate can be readily put on and the joint rendered perfect. v

I have shown my improved joint'as applied to the T-rail, but it is obvious that it may be applied to any form of rail now in use.

Having described my invention, I claimj A railway rail-joint, in which the plate A is part of one rail or rigidly bolted thereto, and extends under the contiguous rail-end, when the latter is spiked tothe same support as the former, and loosely connected to the other rail, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 3d day of June, A. D. i871.

IVILLIAM (l. GOULD.

Witnesses:

HENRY L. CAsE, CHAs. T. BRUER. 

